Let us encourage each other by calling out the things we see in each other that are good. And refrain from noticing each other’s shortcomings. As Christians the only concern to have for those we “dislike” is that their eternal security is in danger. “I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for them …
Jesus was well aware of the Greek system of government called Ekklesia: where community members from various backgrounds come together to speak freely about their civic concerns. And so, He stated in Matthew 16:18, “I will build MY Ekklesia”. Not my worship service. Not my liturgy. Not my order of service. Not my church building. …
Several years ago I had the pleasure of singing once a month at an outdoor venue where patrons ate delicious pizza. As part of my repertoire, I sang some of my original songs about Jesus Christ. They were not “worship” songs. But they were about Jesus. Later, I received a phone call from the owner. …
Imagine the scene in the second chapter of the gospel of Mark. Jesus is apparently in his current home preaching to a packed house. No one could get in because even the doorway was blocked. And as he is preaching, debris from the roof right over his head begins to drift down on him and …
God planned just the right time in His-story for his Son to put on flesh and enter into space and time. And throughout His-story, leading up to that time, there were people who looked ahead and believed God would enter into the world (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, to name a few (Hebrews chapter 11), and …
God created humanity in His image. As a unified, whole people. Sin disrupted this. So since then, we are all longing for that unity. To be understood and to understand. So, all throughout history we have been striving to regain what was lost. But in vain. It is outside the realm of possibility. And God …
What would Christianity look like today if powerful people hadn’t exerted powerful control over it? [For example, by translating the Greek word Ekklesia to church instead of its actual meaning: democratic assembly. Which would therefore mean Jesus actually said, “I will build my democratic assembly. And the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”] …
As people who have thrown their lot in with Jesus Christ, we are ordained by God to speak about our Lord. For far too long we have been trained by our religious and secular culture to not speak Jesus Christ. Let us realize we bring the Lord wherever we go, and our God has chosen …
If you think you are not qualified to speak about your wonderful Lord, consider the woman at the well. Jesus told her to go get her husband. And she replied that she didn’t have a husband. And Jesus proceeded to tell her she had spoken correctly because she had had five husbands, and the current …
What is the giant that is keeping the body of Christ from expressing the one-ness that Jesus prayed for in John 17 and thereby revealing to the world that Jesus is the Christ? I suggest that it is division. I have heard Republicans say that Democrats can’t possibly be Christians. And I have heard the …